Advertisement
HK Magazine Archive
MagazinesHK Magazine

Culture Shock

Macau as a cultural hub? What madness is this?

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
St. Paul's Fine Art
HK Magazine

Think Macau’s nothing but a strip of soulless casinos? Think again. In spite of all that ruthless development, Macau’s cultural identity remains strong as ever. The Portuguese colonial influence has had an undeniable impact on the way art and creativity thrives in the small territory. Here are some places you can go and soak up um pouco Macanese culture.

St. Paul’s Fine Art

Located at the foot of St. Paul’s façade, this little shop is one of two fine art establishments in the area. The brainchild of the local artists’ association Art For All Society (AFA), it houses studios and exhibition space for six main artists, including the world-renowned Konstantin Bessmertny. The main gallery, where exhibitions change monthly, sits on the ground floor of an elegant four-storey colonial building, while the studios occupy the floors above. Once you’ve had your fill of art, don’t forget to wander up and enjoy the open rooftop bar. Travessa de S. Paulo, Nos 3, 5 e 7 2848 2848, www.stpaulscorner.com.

Ox Warehouse

Part art gallery, part theater, this former cattle depot showcases some of Macau’s more bizarre, even shocking, artwork, mostly by a local group calling themselves the “The Old Ladies’ House.” In addition to their regular exhibitions featuring various paintings, performance art, multimedia installations and sculptures, the group offers workshops for different age groups on art and music. Aside from art spaces, the old building also houses a small library and café. Intersection of Av. Coronel Mesquita and Av. do Almirante Lacerda, 2853-0026, oxwarehouse.blogspot.com.

Albergue

This 200-year-old colonial Mediterranean-style building commonly known as the “Yellow House” was once a sanctuary for the poor and refugees during World War II. It later became a nursing home for the elderly. When the last residents moved out in 2000, the place became a venue for art groups to put on projects and events. It was closed for renovation for a while, but now it’s back, transformed into a multi-disciplinary laboratory for fashion, furniture and architecture in association with the Portuguese and local design collective Lines Lab. It also houses Locana, an Italian Restaurant, Lines Lab Creative Lab II, a design shop and a bookshop called BIOOM. Calçada da Igreja de São Lázaro, 8-A3, 2892-2159.

ConstrAction

Advertisement